World No. 9 Minjee Lee wins 2020 Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic

Minjee Lee of Australia shot a final round 69 and followed it up with a birdie 3 on the first playoff hole to win the 2020 Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic played over the Faldo Course at the Emirates Golf Club on Friday night.

Celine Boutier of France, playing in the penultimate group, also finished on 210, was seemingly strolling to victory after 15 holes, with a 2 shot lead when a uncharacteristic stray second shot on the Par 5 hole 16, found the penalty area to the right of the green and a resulting penalty shot and bogey 6 resulted in a two shot swing to Lee with Lee making birdie on the same hole.

Boutier then parred her two final holes and could only make a par on the first playoff hole.

The champion Lee, currently No. 9 in the Women’s World Rankings and top ranked player in the 56 player field, shot nines of 35 and 34 including a back nine of three birdies on holes 10, 14 and 16 and one dropped shot on hole 15 and duly picked up the trophy and the first prize of €36,266.25.

Second round leader Caroline Hedwall of Sweden, playing in the final group along with Lee and England's Meghan MacLaren slipped to a disappointing front nine of 39, three over par with her first three bogeys of the week but responded strongly with three birdies on her back nine to finish on 9 under Par. Also on this score was German player Laura Fuenfstueck with consistent rounds of 67, 70 and 70.

Play was in three balls with a 5 pm shotgun start with the leaders off in reverse order teeing off from Tee 1.

Other players in the mix on this exciting final day’s play, included defending champion Nuria Iturrioz of Spain who finished with a round of 67 to be just short of both the winning score and her 10-under Par winning score of last year.

England's Meghan MacLaren must be rueing a cold putter on the last day with three missed putts under one yard in her final 10 holes and she had to settle for tied sixth place.

Round of the day was by Indian golfer, Aditi Ashok, with an 8 under par course record for the Faldo Course of 64 including seven birdies and an eagle and just one dropped shot.

Dubai-based Alison Muirhead of Scotland finished a creditable tied 17th with rounds of 69, 74 and 70.

The Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic was played this year for the 14th time with this year’s prizefund of €260,000.

The Ladies’ European Tour now stays in the Middle East for the next two weeks with the $1 million Aramco Saudi Ladies International Presented by Public Investment Fund and the $500,000 Saudi Ladies Team International.

Final 54 Hole Scores (Par 72)

206 (-10) M. Lee (Aus), 72, 65, 69.

Won on 1st hole (hole 18) of the play-off with a birdie 3.

206 (-10) C. Boutier (Fr), 67, 71, 68.

207 (-9) L. Fuenfstueck (Ger), 67, 70, 70.

207 (-9) N. Iturrioz (Fra), 69, 71, 67.

207 (-9) C. Hedwall (Swe), 65, 70, 72.

208 (-8) A. Ashok (Ind), 75, 69, 64.

208 (-8) M. MacLaren (Eng), 69, 67, 72.

Other Notables

210 (-6) L. Ko (NZ)

210 (-6) G. Hall (Eng)

213 (-3) A. Muirhead (Sc0)

222 (+6) C. Hull (Eng)

222 (+6) L. Davies (Eng)

223 (+7) M. Haddioui (Mar)

224 (+8) A. Boulden (Wal)

236 (+20) C. Nora (A) (Eng)

237 (+21) O. Jackson (Eng).

For all final scores visit www.ladieseuropeantour.com

36 Hole Pro-Am Results (Wed & Thurs)

1st: Charley Hull (Eng) - 45 Under Par.

Khalid Yousuf (+4),

Abdalla Musharekh (5),

Robert Fiala (7)

2nd: Marianne Skarpnord (Nor) – 44 Under Par.

Beatrice Galleppini Salani (8),

Eduardo Gallepanni (Scr),

Max Burrow (+2).

3rd: Gabriella Cowley (Eng) – 43 Under Par.

Natalii Gupta (+3),

Scott Flewellen (8),

Peter Englund (8).